Metal post



(No Model.)

. O. B. HALL.

METAL POST.

110.413.716.. Patented 0013.29, 1889.

UNrTED. STATES .PATENT OFFICE.,

OSBORN B. I-IALL, OF ALDI-IN, MASSACHUSETTS.

M ETAL POST.

i SPECIFICA'IIIONA forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,716, datedOctober 29, 1889.

Application filed .Tuly 18,1889. Serial No. 317,893. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, OSBORN B. HALL, of Malden, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and,

tion showing my improved post. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detached sectionalvelevation showing a cast-iron base for my post. Fig. 3 is a top planview of Fig. 2. Fig. Lis an enlarged detached sectional elevation, thesection being taken vertically through coupling E, and showing portionsof the pipes in elevation and the methodof securing the ends of all thepipes. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional plan view, the section beingtaken on line Z, Fig. l, and the plan showing coupling C. Fig. 6 showsposts of usual construction and their usual duty.

This invention relatesto the metal posts which are employed to sustainthe wires that are extended across streets for the purpose of supportingthe longitudinal wires known as trolley-wires for'couducting an electriccurrent to be utilized in propelling streetcars; and it consists in thefeatures -of novelty hereinafter pointed out, and specified in theclaims. Referring again to said drawings, A represents a cast-metalbase, which is shown as formed hollow in, a manner similar to the lowerportion of cast-iron lamp-posts, the vertical wall a having preferablyopenings Z9 cut therethrough on opposite sides in a suitable portionv ofits height, said wall `terminating at base c at the lower end and in thethick portion or head d at the top. In said head d are formed thescrew-threaded holes e, arranged in a right line across the head, as

. shown in Figsl and 3, and in said holes are rigidly secured thecorrespondingly-threaded tubes B, as shown, theupper ends of said tubesbeing inthe same manner secured in coupling. O. In theupperside of saidcoupling() are inserted in the same manner the tubes D, which at theirupperfends are secured in like mannerin couplings E, as shown in Fig. 4;and in the upper side of this last coupling are inserted thetubes F,which at,

their upper ends are secured in cap G, which, as shown, may be formedfor securing thereto the wire f.

As stated, Fig. 4 shows the methodof securing both ends of the pipes intheir respective in order that the strength of the tubes at the surfaceof the couplings may be but very slightly impaired by threading.

I have shown in the drawings four pipes in the lower group, with areduction of one pipe per group in each succeeding group; but anydesired number of pipes maybe employed in each group; and I arrange thepipes in each group in a right line, so that the axes of all the pipesare in a common plane, in order that when force is applied to Wire finthe direction as indicated the compressive resistance of those pipesshown at the left in Fig. l and the tensile resistance of the pipesshown at the right in the same figure will render the post very rigidand unyielding, and its resisting strength in that direction is muchgreater than in a direction perpendicular thereto, andy as the strain isin use in but one direction the post may in all cases be so arranged insetting in the earth that the strain upon the several tubes in thegroups of pipes will be in the direction indicated in Fig. 1 that is, inthe direction of a line passing through the axis of the several pipes ineach group.

I am aware that it is common to form supporting-posts of a number oftubes, usually arranged to form a square in cross section, such tubeshaving been usually formed of several lengths or 'sections diminished insize in eachV length and coupled together by mere sleeve-couplings torender each pipe continuous in its entire length, the several pipesbeing Aheld in proper relative position by a loosely-fitting yoke thatreceived the pipes and rested upon the shoulders resulting from thediminishing of the pipes, as stated, and hence I do not broadly claim apost formed of a plurality of tubes, my invention differing from suchprevious con- IOO structions in the fact that all the ends of the tubesin each group in my post are rigidly secured in the same unyieldingcoupling, While the meeting ends of two groups of tubes are inserted inthe same intermediate coupling, as at C and E, and hence I can producethereby the desired decrease in strength from the lower part of the postupward by decreasing the number of tubes in the successive groups, whilein said earlier posts the reduction in strength could only be effectedby diminishing the size of the pipes in each length from the lowerupward, and the ends of the several lengths of pipe in those earlierposts were, as above stated, coupled by a mere sleeve-coupling insteadof entering the ends of all the tubes in each group in a single couplingin the manner which I employ and which produces a much stronger and moreunyielding post and at a reduced expense.

It will be vobvious that solid iron rods may be employed in my columninstead of tubes; but I deem the latter preferable, because with thesame weight of iron in a given length thc tube is much stronger and morerigid than the solid rod'. It will also be plain that instead of base Abeing of cast metal it may be of stone, having tubes B inserted in holestherein of sufficient depth and' then secured by tamping, but such abase would be unduly heavy to transport, would be more eX- pensive thancast metal, and would prevent the completion of the column where made,so that it could not be shipped in perfected condition, as when a metalbase is employed, as the column would be necessarily inserted in thestone base after'the latter had been set in the earth.

In Fig. 6 I have shown two posts II II of usual construction, one havingits several sections telescoped and the other coupled t0- gether and asarranged at the sides of street I, and it is obvious that such posts areof equal resisting strength in every other direction as in the directionof the force exerted by wire f, and that in order to secure therequisite strength in the direction required a large surplus of strengthin other directions is needlessly but unavoidably provided, whichsuperfluous strength in directions perpendicular or at right angles tothe direction of strain I avoid by arranging a plurality of smallerpipes with their axes in a common plane, as described, therebyeconomizing in the quantity of metal and expense of construction.

I am aware of United States Patent- No. 349,049, issued September 14,1886, to J. E. Lippincott for telegraph-pole, and I claim nothing thatis therein shown,mylinvention differing therefrom, among other things,in the essential particular that in said patented invention thewrought-iron tubes are substantially continuous, and at the abuttingjoints of the sections thereof are secured by a sleeve-coupling, whichcan connect the parts of but a sin gle tube, and hence the axes of theseveral lengths of each tube are of necessity coincident, and by suchmethod of coupling it is necessary that the tubes be tied together byhorizontal and oblique ties near to said abutting joints of the verticaltubes, while in my post the tubes terminate at each coupling, by whichmeans I am enabled to have a different number of tubes in each sect-ionof my post,vand, besides, by entering all the tubes in the same couplingat their respective ends I have no occasion to employ any horizontal oroblique ties either above or below the ends of the tubes, and mycouplings interposed between different groups or sections of the tubepositively prevent the transmission of the vibration of the tubes in onegroup to they tubes in the group below it.

I claim as my inventionl. A metal post formed of tubes or rods arrangedin groups, each group being butaportion of the whole height of the post,and having interposed between the meeting ends of adjacent groups asingle solid coupling in which each and all of said ends are separatelyand independently secured,`substantially as specified.

2. A metal post formed of iron tubes or rods arranged in groups, eachgroup being but a fraction of the whole length of the post, the adjacentends of the several tubes in each group being screw-threaded in the samecoupling, and the axes ot' the several tubes being in acommon plane,substantially as specified.

A metal post formed of tubes or rods arranged in groups, each groupbeing but a fraction of the whole height of the post, the number oftubes in the several groups being diminished from the lowest upward, andthe adjacent ends of the several tubes in each grou p beingscrew-threaded in the same coupling, substantially as specified.

4. A metal post formed with base A, groups of tubes, as B D F,diminished in number, in groups, one above the other, couplings, as C E,between the meeting ends of the groups, and a cap, as G, all said pipesat the respective ends of each group being rigidly secured in the samecoupling or holder, substantially as specified.

OSBORN B. HALL.

Titnessesz T. W. PORTER, EUGENE HUMB'HREY.

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